The newly opened Catch22 at Nakheel Mall in Riyadh offers a fun and upbeat casual dining experience, with a menu that includes international favorites such as sushi, burgers and quesadillas.
Already a favorite in Dubai, where it has two locations, Catch22’s latest venue is its second in the Saudi capital, after the one at The Zone. It is the perfect setting for a casual meal with friends or family.
One of its attractions is the sheer diversity of the menu; unlike many other restaurants in the area that have a more narrow focus, Catch22 is sure to have something to please everyone, including sushi lovers, Mexican food enthusiasts and fans of classic diner favorites.
The restaurant offers a wide-ranging breakfast menu but during our visit we focused on some of its lunch and dinner favorites.
The starter options include a variety of salads, nachos and calamari dishes. The chopped buffalo chicken salad, tossed with a house-made secret sauce, was perfect for sharing. The C22 shrimp was highly recommended by our waiter but we found it to be a very average dynamite shrimp dish and nothing to write home about.
From the main dishes, we recommend trying the double stack Angus club sandwich or the creamy chicken pasta. These are definitely menu highlights, along with the salmon tartare for fish or sushi lovers.
In terms of burgers, they offer a vegan option but we opted for the grandma burger, which is Catch22’s version of a classic cheeseburger and was definitely one of the top options we ordered.
We also tried the southern-fried chicken burger with honey mustard slaw. The chicken was very crispy but the flavors were decidedly average.
Despite offering such a large menu, our food was served at the perfect temperature with very limited waiting time. The interior of the restaurant provides a bright pop of color and graphics reflecting Saudi culture in a fun and upbeat way. The restaurant even offers a mirror photo booth where diners can take pictures to remind them of their meal — and share on social media. The staff are very friendly and outgoing and helped to create a memorable dining experience.
The restaurant can be found inside the new expansion to Nakheel Mall, tucked away at the edge of the movie theater, so it might be a little difficult for some visitors to locate but is definitely worth seeking out.
Where We Are Going Today: Catch22
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Where We Are Going Today: Catch22
Where Are We Going Today: NAC Winter Garden
- The menu leans on familiar NAC dishes with a seasonal touch
RIYADH: As the sun sets behind the date palms of Wadi Hanifa and the air cools, NAC Winter Garden welcomes diners with soft lighting, the scent of wood smoke, and the glow of outdoor heaters.
Set within Aseel Resort in Diriyah, a short drive from central Riyadh, this seasonal extension of the NAC brand is designed to make the most of the city’s winter months.
It promises outdoor dining, a relaxed atmosphere, and a sense of escape, and, in many ways, it delivers. Unlike NAC’s main branch in Laysen Valley, which operates as a traditional brasserie, the Winter Garden presents a looser, more atmospheric format, positioned somewhere between a cafe and a restaurant.
The menu leans on familiar NAC dishes with a seasonal touch. Popcorn chicken arrived hot and crisp, complemented by a spicy mayo that added warmth without overpowering the dish.
A rigatoni in pink sauce was comforting and reasonably balanced, though it lacked the kind of memorable detail that makes a dish worth returning for. The standout was a halloumi dish drizzled with honey and sriracha, offering a satisfying mix of sweet, salty, and mild heat with contrasting textures.
Prices fall in the mid-to-high range for Riyadh. Portions are reasonable, but not all dishes feel like strong value.
Service was polite but occasionally slow, with noticeable gaps between ordering and delivery. The setting itself was thoroughly arranged, with greenery, warm lighting, and a sense of distance from the bustle of the city.
Within Riyadh’s evolving dining scene, NAC Winter Garden feels like an experiment in seasonal, outdoor dining. It adds interest to the winter landscape and offers a pleasant evening out, but more consistent execution in both the kitchen and service would help it stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
